One-piece molded plastic actuator for dispensing device



1967 H. G. LEHMANN 3,305,179

ONE"PIECE MOLDED PLASTIC ACTUATOR FOR DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Feb. 24, 1965 INVENTOR.

fi e/"barf Q Le77/77a/m I United States Patent 3,305,179 ONE-PIECE MOLDED PLASTIC ACTUATOR FOR DISPENSING DEVICE Herbert G. Lehmann, Eastou, Conn., assignor to Valve Corporation of America, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 434,753 6 Claims. (Cl. 239-337) This invention relates to plastic actuator assemblages, and more particularly to one-piece actuators for dispensing devices such as aerosol dispensers and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved one-piece plastic actuator of the type comprising a stationary body and a movable button portion (the latter being adapted to grippingly engage the hollow valve stem of a container) wherein great freedom of movement of the button is had in a truly straight line as required by vertically movable valve stems.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved one-piece molded plastic actuator as above set forth, wherein the body and button portions are of the widely used jumbo size having relatively large diameters, said portions being concentric and the button presenting a substantial, expansive well-defined surface for engagement by the finger of the user.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved actuator in accordance with the foregoing, wherein the expansive top surface of the but-ton is outlined in a definitive manner, with a distinct peripheral edge portion disposed inside and closely adjacent a surrounding guardtype edge of the body portion.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of a one-piece plastic actuator as characterized, wherein there is a relatively small separation space between the depress button and body portions, said space being of annular or cylindrical configuration with a relatively narrow cross sectional size.

Other features of the" invention reside in the simplicity and compact construction of the actuator, the low cost of the same, and the appreciable axial length whereby a large-sized assemblage is presented at the top of the dispenser, being arranged to enable a user to most easily operate the device. The button is securely retained in place while still having great freedom of movement in a straight, vertical line.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, similar characters of reference are used to designate like components throughout the several views, in which:

FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view of the improved actuator construction as provided by the invention, the parts being in the non-discharging position.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, but showing the button in the depressed, discharging position.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the actuator of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the actuator, and

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the actuator construction.

As shown, the actuator is constituted essentially as a one-piece molded assemblage, with the exception of a small orifice member or button which is applied at a later time to the operable button portion 12. Surrounding the but-ton portion 12 is a stationary body portion 14 which is mounted on the neck 16 of a pressurized aerosol container having a vertically movable hollow valve stem 18.

In accordance with the invention, the actuator comprising the button portion 12 and body portion 14 has appreciable axial length and a relatively large diameter, with the button portion constituting a major part of the top area of the actuator while at the same time being separated from the body portion 14 by a narrow annular and cylindrical space 20 by which the top peripheral edge of the button portion is clearly defined and distinct from the body portion 14. Thus the button and body portions may appear as two distinct and separate pieces to the user. Moreover, the button portion 12 is integrally connected with the bory portion 14 in such a manner that it has considerable freedom of movement in a vertical direction, such movement being purely of a straight line nature by which it exactly matches the straight line movement of the hollow valve stem 18.

As far as outward appearances are concerned, and also as far as the straight line movement of the button portion 12 is concerned, the body and button portions appear to be two separate unconnected parts. In prior actuators where such button and body actually are two separate pieces there is great freedom of movement of the button, as distinguished from one piece actuators where the button has a limited, pivotal or hinge-type movement.

With the present invention, the body portion 14 has a high, guard-type edge 22 which is at least as high as the highest top surface of the button portion 12 and which constitutes a guard, preventing inadvertent actuation of the button. By this invention, it is possible to have a jumbo size button such as the portion 12, constituting a large and expansive top surface for engagement by the finger, and also possible to have a thin tubular or cylindrical and annular guard-type body portion, both being characterized by an appreciable axial length, with complete freedom of movement of the button portion between the required limits prescribed by the valve stem 18, while at the same time both of these are integrally connected by permanent unbroken webs and are molded at one and the same time in a single molding operation. Accordingly, there is had the benefit of extremely low cost production by virtue of the one-shot molding operation, together with the advantages of straight line movement of the button, large size of the actuator, well defined periphery of the button, and safety from inadvertent operation or accidental operation. Moreover, the assembling of the actuator to the pressurized container 16 is simplified, since this only involves a simple single assembly operation as distinguished from the two separate assembly operations.

heretofore required with two-piece actuators.

In effecting the advantageous straight-line vertical movement of the button 12 with complete freedom between the limits set forth by the operation and construction of the vertical valve stem 18, there is provided in accordance with the invention at least one and preferably three circumferentially extending flexible and resilient, narrow and elongate tie webs 24 permanently connected at their respective ends to the button portion 12 and the body portion 14. Under some circumstances of operation of the actuator as illustrated in FIG. 2, portions or all of the webs 24 may be disposed in the narrow cylindrical space 20 separating the button portion 12 from the body portion 14 or, for the inoperative position of the actuator as depicted in FIG. 1, only the uppermost portions of the connector web 24 may be disposed between the button portion 12 and the body portion 14, the remaining parts or sections of the webs being located below the level of the bottom rim of the button 12.

When connector webs 24 are shown as having appreciable length, and as being connected or disposed apart around the circumference of the actuator assemblage, the appreciable length of the webs 24, together with their thin cross section and the resilience of the ma terial, enable the button portion to have considerable freedom of straight line movement in a vertical direction.

Thus, no restraint is imposed on the button portion by its permanent connection with the body portion 14 for the limits of movement which are set by the hollow valve stem 18.

As seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the button portion 12 has a hollow depending boss 28 which frictionally fits the upper extremity of the valve stem 18, and a discharge channel 30 is provided in the button portion, communicating at one end with the boss 28 and at the other end with the orifice member 10. The body portion 14 has a slot 32 accommodating the orifice member 10 as seen in FIGS. l3, and a small depending apron 34 on the button portion gives a closed eifect to the slot 32 when the button portion 12 is raised, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 3.

The body portion 14 has a large finger notch 36 in its upper rear section, and the button portion 12 has a cor-responding finger notch 38 to accommodate the operating finger and also to apprise the user of the direction of the spray.

The slight extent of vertical movement of the button portion 12 is not sufficient to cause any appreciable twisting or turning thereof with respect to the body portion 14 whereby the normal looseness of the orifice member 10 in the slot 32 is adequate to prevent any binding which might otherwise occur.

It will now be seen from the foregoing that I have provided an improved actuator for dispensers which may be readily molded as a single piece from resilient plastic substance such as polyethylene, said actuator comprising a large-diameter button portion and a surrounding shell-like body portion which from all outward appearances seen to be two separate pieces, and also seem to be such as regards freedom of vertical movement of the button portion between the required limits. The actuator in being molded as a single unitary piece is less costly to produce as well as to assemble to the pressurized container, and from the functional standpoint it has the ease of operation, safety, jumbo appearance and other advantages of two-piece actuators which are more costly.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims, and portions of the improvement may be used without others.

I claim:

1. A one-piece molded plastic actuator for a dispenser comprising, in combination:

(a) a stationary body portion having means for attachment to a dispenser container whereby it is stationarily mounted thereon,

(b) a movable button portion movable with respect to and having walls adjacent and spaced from the body portion, said button portion 'having a discharge 4, passage therein and an orifice at the outer end of the discharge passage,

(c) said button portion having means at the inner end of the discharge passage, for gripping engagement with a movable valve stem of the dispenser container whereby the latter is operated by movement of the button portion, 7

(d) said body and button portions having an elongate resilient and flexible connecting web extending cir cumferentially of the button portion,

to) said connecting web comprising an integral molded part of the body and button portions and being connected to the same at locations around the button portion which are circumferentially spaced apart with respect to the button portion.

2. The invention as inclaim 1, wherein: Y

(a) the body portion is tubular and the button portion is carried Within the body portion,

(b) said body portion having inner walls spaced from said Walls of the button portion, (c) said connecting web being located at the space between the body and button portions.

3. The invention as in claim 2, wherein:

(a) the connecting web is arcuate and extends spirally between the button and body portions.

4. The invention as in claim 3, wherein:

(a) the body portion comprises a tubular shell surrounding the button portion.

5. The invention as in claim 4, wherein:

(a) the body and button portions are separated by an annular space of cylindrical configuration having a narrow cross-sectional area,

(b) said resilient web being disposed in part in the said annular space.

6. The invention as in claim 5, wherein:

(a) two additional resilient connector webs extending circumferentially and in spiral formation are joined to the body and button portions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,753,214 7/1956 Abplanalp 239-337 X 3,140,014 7/1964 Lerner 239337 X 3,144,175 8/1964 ODonnell 239-337 X 3,225,966 12/1965 Sagarin 239-337 X 3,260,416 7/ 1966 Abplanalp 239579 X M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

V. M. WIGMAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A ONE-PIECE MOLDED PLASTIC ACTUATOR FOR A DISPENSER COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) A STATIONARY BODY PORTION HAVING MEANS FOR ATTACHMENT TO A DISPENSER CONTAINER WHEREBY IT IS STATIONARILY MOUNTED THEREON, (B) A MOVABLE BUTTON PORTION MOVABLE WITH RESPECT TO AND HAVING WALLS ADJACENT AND SPACED FROM THE BODY PORTION, SAID BUTTON PORTION HAVING A DISCHARGE PASSAGE THEREIN AND AN ORIFICE AT THE OUTER END OF THE DISCHARGE PASSAGE, (C) SAID BUTTON PORTION HAVING MEANS AT THE INNER END OF THE DISCHARGE PASSAGE, FOR GRIPPING ENGAGEMENT WITH A MOVABLE VALVE STEM OF THE DISPENSER CONTAINER WHEREBY THE LATTER IS OPERATED BY MOVEMENT OF THE BUTTON PORTION, (D) SAID BODY AND BUTTON PORTIONS HAVING AN ELONGATE RESILIENT AND FLEXIBLE CONNECTING WEB EXTENDING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY OF THE BUTTON PORTION, (E) SAID CONNECTING WEB COMPRISING AN INTEGRAL MOLDED PART OF THE BODY AND BUTTON PORTIONS AND BEING CONNECTED TO THE SAME AT LOCATIONS AROUND THE BUTTON PORTION WHICH ARE CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED APART WITH RESPECT TO THE BUTTON PORTION. 